School caretaker accused of raping teenager

AN EASTERN Cape primary school caretaker appeared in the Ngcobo Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of raping a Grade 5 pupil.

The caretaker, 58, who cannot be named because he has not yet pleaded, allegedly raped the teen in one of the classrooms on Tuesday last week after school hours while she was waiting for her transport.

It is believed this was not the only time he raped the 15-year-old girl.

She cannot be named because of the sexual nature of the case.

The state’s case is that the caretaker called the pupil, who was with her friends under a tree while waiting for their transport, gave her R2 and told her to go to one of the classrooms.

He allegedly threatened to hit her if she told anyone.

But the pupil finally broke her silence last week when she told her mother about her ordeal.

Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima yesterday confirmed his department was also involved in the matter.

“We are on it. The district education forum is attending to the case of the [accused man] and counselling has been organised for the learners and educators,” said Mtima.

The man was arrested at the school last Friday after the pupil’s mother filed a rape complaint with the police.

The pupil’s mother said her daughter, who suffers from epilepsy, came home in an angry mood.

She hit one of her younger siblings, which is when the mother asked her child what was wrong.

The girl would not answer her, she said. “I asked her where she got the money from, she said from another pupil but I could see she was lying.”

The mother claimed that later that night, when she again asked about the money, the girl told her what had happened.

The mother said the morning after her daughter confided in her she opened a case of rape at the Ngcobo police station and was sent to All Saints Hospital where her daughter underwent treatment.

The school governing body (SGB) chairwoman, who also cannot be named, said: “The deputy principal called me, saying that the cleaner was arrested for raping one of the learners. She then reported the matter to the school’s head of department. I had no idea something like this was happening. We are all very shocked about this.”

She said the caretaker, whom she described as “meek”, was appointed by the SGB in 2015.

The case was postponed to Monday for a bail application. The man will be held in custody until then, National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesman Luxolo Tyali said.